Memory Collection

Memory Collection is a small home to a large selection of highly marked-​up Sanrio products.
This store was the final straw: it changed my thinking of Richmond from being a mecca for finding arcane Japanese pop culture items to being an overpriced shopping destination.
You will find a fun selection of Hello Kitty items and a smattering of Chococat, Little Twin Stars, Pochacco, etc. This store carries high end items like Tarina Tarantino jewelry and HK «designer» bags.
However, as Kymberli notes in her review, you will notice tags cover the traditional prices one finds on Sanrio items with mark ups from 100 to 400% over the original retail price!
If you are desparately seeking a particular Sanrio item, this may be the place to check when all else has failed… otherwise, realize this is a mall where children & teens with very, very rich parents shop!
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UM! Definitely the MOST EXPENSIVE and OUTRAGEOUSLY priced Sanrio/​Hello Kitty store I have EVER been to! …and I have been to A LOT. Most of the items are marked up at least double if not triple or quadruple the retail price. I saw $ 5.00 stickers (which is already pretty expensive for stickers, but the suggested retail price) for $ 25! Most of the items are current so you can still get them from online stores shipped straight from Japan for a portion of the cost. The items are also all chained up, even the stickers. You have to put your whole body and face up to a product in order to look at it. Another thing is I walked in the first hour it opened, had dim sum and walked back past that way and the store was already closed… weird! An extra star for having a lot of cute and unique items and the salesperson was pretty friendly.

Memory Collection = more like Hello Kitty Collection! If you are a hardcore Hello Kitty fan, then you GOTTA visit this store. It is pure Hello Kitty HEAVEN! They have tons of authentic Sanrio/​Hello Kitty items from stationary to mugs to iPhone cases to cell phone charms to luggage to stuffed animals to jewelry… yeah you get the picture. E V E R Y T H I N G Hello Kitty.
If you love HK then you will squeal with delight when you enter this store… just until you look at the price tag. Almost all of their stuff seems to be imported from Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan so I understand why they have to jack up the price but… seriously?!? Does it need to be THAT overpriced? As a hardcore Hello Kitty lover, I know that some specific limited edition HK items are pricier, especially some exclusives that are only made in Japan but… some of the prices in this store are a LITTLE ridiculous. I don’t think I saw a pen or pencil for less than $ 10. I feel like they would have a lot more business if they lowered their prices a bit. Because as MUCH as I love Hello Kitty (seriously, I really really really do and I don’t just buy ANYTHING Hello Kitty– it’s gotta be SERIOUSLY adorable), I haven’t ever purchased a single thing from this store — purely because of the high prices.
Other than the $$$, I love browsing the shop, there’s always new accessories to admire and Hello Kitty is just too cute to resist! Check out this store if you need a dose of cuteness or if you’re ready to make a little Sanrio splurge!